Supreme Court Refuses to Stop Missouri Execution

Earlier this week, Marcellus Williams was put to death for the 1998 murder of journalist Felicia Gayle.

Williams has always maintained his innocence, and family members of the victims were hoping to have his sentence commuted from death to life in prison.

With some procedural questions still unanswered, at least in the eyes of Williams’ defenders, the Supreme Court refused to halt the exaction, and Williams was put to death on Tuesday night.

Guilty, as Charged

Williams was convicted in 2001 for the brutal death of Gayle, who was stabbed 43 times, with the murder weapon left plunged into her body.

That weapon, however, was part of the reason there were so many questions being asked about the execution.

For instance, DNA of a prosecuting attorney was later found on the knife. This was explained that the prosecutor had not worn gloves while handling the weapon, so the integrity of the evidence came into question.

The current prosecutor has also stated that the office no longer supports the conviction.

Added to that, as we mentioned above, was the plea by the family to take the execution off the table and commute the sentence to life.

His defense team made an emergency stay request, arguing, “The ever-present undercurrent of residual doubt as to Mr. Williams’ innocence plagues this case, even as his execution looms. Mr. Williams’ conviction and death sentence were secured through a trial riddled with constitutional errors, racism, and bad faith, much of which only came to light recently.”

The court, however, ruled along ideological lines to refuse the stay, allowing the execution to proceed.

Republican Governor Mike Parson, who had disbanded a panel ordered by former Republican Governor Eric Greitens to collect and review evidence to prove Williams's guilt or innocence, stated that Williams has had more than enough opportunity to prove his innocence and he has fallen short.

Parson stated, “Mr. Williams has exhausted due process and every judicial avenue, including over 15 hearings attempting to argue his innocence and overturn his conviction.

“No jury nor court, including at the trial, appellate, and Supreme Court levels, have ever found merit in Mr. Williams’ innocence claims.

“At the end of the day, his guilty verdict and sentence of capital punishment were upheld.”

To liberal and Democrat outrage, Wiliams was executed at 6:00 p.m. CDT on Tuesday evening.